The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1887-12-24
ABOUT FOREST FIRES.
PREVENTIVE MEASURES ADOPTED
BY COUNTRIES OF EUROPE.

BY COUNTRIES OF EUROPE.
Provisions of the French Forest Laws.
Penalty for Carelessness.Forest Regu-
lations in Gcrmnny-A List of Rules
and Ordinances.
The greatest work which cul, be done by
our government, or amy government i'll fact,
in aid of national forestry is the protection of
forests from fires. 1t is thought 10y some
authors that the destruction of forests by
fires, even i'll America, is greater than tho
amount used i'll the production of lumber BE
this rs it may be- it is useful to know what
some European countries may practice i'll this
regard
Thus, i'll France, the penal code provides
for the punishment of persons who cause
forest fires either Intentionally or through
curclesSness. The forest law prohibits tho
lighting or carrying of fire, either inside tine
forests or within soa yards of their bound
aries. Blu, the ordinary laws do not prevent
proprietors from lighting fires in their own
forests, to the danger of their neishbors'
property This is an important question in
the low mountain ranges i'll til. south of
France, where the bad practice is followed of
Systematically lis ting fires i'll the forest i'll
order to burn ur tile Ii ather and other
shrubs which interfere with the regeneration
of the crop of trees. In $50 special law
was passed prohibiting the proprietors Of
these districts from lighting fires in their
forests except nj seasons fixed hy the prcfcct,
alSocomlellins them To clear fire lines around
oil woods and forests which huvo not been
completely freed fro.nali inilan.nabe shrubs.
In ls,6 there We're :.90 fires in the area
managed by the forest departments nearly all
of them being tho result of accident Tho
surface burned over measured $3.50 acres
and the damage WAS estimated at nearly
$4,000 The proportion of fires was greater
i'll the broad lcaNcd than i'll the coni!erous
forest. but, Oh the other hand. the amount of
damage done per acre i'll the latter was three
times rs great as in,he former, the resin i'll
tho trees themselves and in the dead needles
Oh the ground y l.lcring the fir and pine
forests excessively ntlanlmallr. Fires, as Il
general rule, were of more frequent occur
renee in the spring than at any other season
of the year, thou sh the autumn fires were,
Oh account of the recently fallen leaves, by
far the most destructive.
In Germany much destruction occurs from
forest fires. which are usually the result OF
lations do not permit the litter that falls upon
the ground to he removed, it is but natural
that it will in course of tim. accumulate
enough to become a great danger to the for
est when dry, in which condi,io it burns like
tinler and is most easily issnitcl a serious
fire occurred. destroying II fine forest which
was set OH fire by n cigar stump carelcssly
thrown away on n forest road. Districts
| thus destroyed in Germany arc at once re-
planted, and the relative amount of forest
| and cultivated land constantly remains about
the same.
HOW GERMANY MANAGES.
In Germany, among the measures for pre-
venting forest fires arc the following regula-
! tions:
| Tho places where charcoal may he made in
tho forests must be assigned by the forest
authorities. The coal pits must be fifteen
laces from the ends of the nearest tree
| bnugs and for Il distance of four PAGES from
the burning pile I'LL combustlblc materials
! must he removed. y pace in this, as in every
case where n doubt may be found to exist, is
! To he regarded rs 81. feet. The charcoal
maker is in duty bound to notify tho forester,
or forest ovcrseer. of the time when lie starts
his fires. After the fire is once started the
charcoal nltk"r must not leave his pit 10y day
or night; besides. lie is in duty bound TO have
n sufficient quantity of water on hand to pre-
vent accident by fire.
In windy or stormy weather the charcoal
burner is in duty bound to erect something
to break and keep off the wind, and during
the prevalence Of such weather he must not
remove the cover from his pit nor draw out
coal. Coal must not be taken from the pits
4 through the forest before twenty-four hours
| have elapsed after it has been drawn from
the pit.
The sam" rules must he observed in pre-
| pairing ashes us prescribed for the making of
| charcoal.
M fire must be kindlcd in u forest, nor
within 2o0 feet of the same, nor near u turf
pit lying near by, without especial privilege
! from the forester, wEo when such permission
is given, must see thlt all necessary measures
Of safety are taken.
As exceptions to the rul. laid down are the
fires for Shepherds, wood choppers, quarry
men, etc, and thes,, must he Isindlcd in places
as remote as possible from danger TO the
forests.
Also fires used for burning out roots,
stumps etc, when the woodland is being
prepared for culture. In all cases must the
fires be ten laces from the forest and at
least four PAGES from large trees, und the
ground lying between She fire and the wood
and 'Icea must be dug ni' broken up.
Til" kin'.lina of n running fire III the woods
is forbidden; only in special cases can it he
allowed ly the forest authorities, with the
f, approval Of the mayor
Shepherds, woodchoprers, quarrymen, etc.
are in duty bound To extingush the fires be-
fore they quit I'll" forests.
No place for preparing tar or preparing
lime dime kiln VIII he allowed within tif-
teen feet Of th. edse Of a forest or woods.
There alc special ordinances indicating
what shall he Jon" in case of fires breaking
out in forests.-Boston Budget.